Are You Doing Your Homework?

I have a bit of homework for all of you.

I want you to take out a legal pad, draw a line down the middle, and on one side put down your strengths and weaknesses as a writer and on the other list your strengths and weaknesses on how you’re running your writing career.

This shouldn’t be easy. Think hard about it. And be brutally honest.

Ask yourself tough questions:

Am I working enough on my writing?

Am I pitching enough to editors?

Am I writing something of quality every day?

Am I always looking for new ways to get published?

Am I procrastinating?

Am I becoming a better writer?

Am I lazy with my writing?

Am I researching my field of writing enough?

Am I reading enough books on how to be a better writer?

Am I really applying all the principles I’ve learned about the business or just going through the motions?

Once you’ve finished, you’re then ready to do some serious problem-solving, to start planning real strategies. Come up with the best ways to improve your minuses, as well as ways to highlight your plusses.

It’s so imperative to know who and where you are at this point in the game and where you want to go before you can ever hope to get there.

If you want it badly enough, trust me, folks, it’s all there inside you.

So go do your homework and don’t come to class without it.

Good luck!